Petrol shortage as French labour reform protesters block refineries

Petrol shortages caused long tailbacks of motorists in parts of France on Monday as protesters angry over government labour reforms blockaded some of the country's oil refineries and fuel depots.

The action was the latest in three months of strikes and protests against the reform, which has set the Socialist government against some of its traditional supporters and sometimes sparked violence.

Workers downed tools at six of France's eight refineries on Monday, the CGT union said.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls denounced what he called trade union "blackmail" and urged the French people "not to succumb to panic" over fears that petrol supplies would dry up, assuring that the depots would be "unblocked".

The northwest of the country was worst hit at the weekend, with riot police dispersing protesters at some fuel depots.

The situation was exacerbated by some motorists rushing to stock up fearing that supplies were about to run out.

"Talking about a shortage creates the shortage," said Finance Minister Michel Sapin.

Local authorities in some areas imposed rationing, as the employers' federation Medef called on the government to "re-establish the rule of law".

- Tailbacks and burning tyres -

The government of embattled President Francois Hollande -- who is deeply unpopular and faces re-election next year -- said the situation had improved since Sunday when 1,500 of the country's 12,000 petrol stations had run dry, but did not have fresh figures.

The Total group said 509 of its 2,200 stations had either run out or were suffering shortages Monday, up from 390 the previous day.

The French authorities said the overall situation was "stable or slightly worse" than Sunday.

Tailbacks slowed traffic, particularly in the northwest, where motorists waited for up to an hour to get to the pumps at some filling stations.

Originally concentrated in northwest France, the protest action has spread south.

At Fos-sur-Mer, near the Mediterranean port of Marseille, about 500 union activists closed a road leading to a fuel depot with burning tyres. Another road to the nearby refinery was also blocked.

And in Donges, near Nantes on the northwest coast, union activists used wooden pallets and burning tyres to block access to a fuel depot.

Some drivers were hopping across the border into Belgium to fill up their cars

"We are in the front line of this conflict. Without petrol we can't work," said Amazigh, a 24-year-old lorry driver, who was filling his tank in the Belgian border town of Tournai.

- 'French people held hostage' -

The government, which forced the reform bill through the lower house of parliament earlier this month without a vote, insists it will not back down on the labour reform.

Opponents say the law will erode job security and do little to bring down the unemployment rate, stuck at 10 percent and nearly 25 percent for young people.

The government argues that the new law will make France's notoriously rigid labour market more flexible and create jobs.